


Parenthood

by Star55



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Babies, Breastfeeding, F/F, Genderswap, Girl Direction, Parenthood, girl!Niall, girl!Zayn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-27
Updated: 2014-09-27
Packaged: 2018-02-18 22:42:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,357
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2364689
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Star55/pseuds/Star55
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Zayn and Niall are first time parents.</p><p>(Is related to but doesn't require reading first of <a href="http://archiveofourown.org/works/2326535">My Love</a>)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Parenthood

**Author's Note:**

> Written as a part of [Girl Direction Month.](http://star55.tumblr.com/post/96263456431)
> 
> I chose the name Aahil (completely forgetting that Malik means King) because it's a) Muslim and b) means "prince", which I feel is fitting for this pair. I don't specify what Zayn and Niall's married surname is in this fic, so please forgive me for that.   
> I think it was important that Zayn and Niall's baby is connected to Zayn's Muslim heritage because it's important to Zayn. And I was immediately drawn to the name when I saw it. I hope that all makes sense. I'm a bit nervous, to be honest. Anyway, have fic. =)

Parenthood, for Zayn, is a lot like dealing with Niall when she’s drunk. There’s babbling that she cannot understand for the life of her, vomit, sleeping, and eventually, the demand for food.

And even though she deals with all of that, she still loves Niall, and their newborn son. Parenthood is also something that Zayn thought she was prepared for but really, really wasn’t. She wasn’t prepared for the waking up at all hours of the night. She _loves_ her sleep but apparently Aahil likes to wake up at all hours of the night to be fed. He clearly gets that from Niall, Zayn thinks. If he were anything like Zayn, he’d sleep the night through and then some. 

Then there’s breastfeeding. Of _course_ Harry had waxed poetical about it – how great it was and how _bonding_ it was for a mother and baby as well. She had breastfed Zara with no mishaps and was currently doing the same with their new daughter, who was born the month before Aahil was. She made it seem so _easy_. 

Zayn had struggled at first. She had no idea what was going on and why her milk hadn’t come through yet but it wasn’t until her midwife told her that milk for first time mothers it usually happened around three days after the baby was born. She had felt so inadequate at that. None of the literature Harry had given her had told her that. She had stressed over it, thinking she had somehow failed her baby boy because she couldn’t feed him.

Niall is a pro, somehow. Zayn isn’t even _sure_ how she’s so good at everything but she is. It’s relieving, though, that one of them has a handle on this whole ‘being a parent’ thing. Zayn still isn’t sure that she is the right person for the job. 

The entire time she was pregnant, Zayn was uncomfortable. Yet another thing that Harry hadn’t told her. Of _course_ Harry had fantastic pregnancies. She’s only boasted about wanting babies since Louis told her she loved her at sixteen. Fresh faced and wide-eyed, going into the world of pop music and she had _still_ wanted babies. Harry was weird, that’s the only logical conclusion that could be drawn.

Even though her entire life has been turned upside down by the arrival of Aahil, Zayn wouldn’t change a thing. She just has to look down at his little face when he’s fast asleep to know that he’s the best thing she ever created. 

She’s still adjusting, though. She should’ve realised that listening to Harry about anything baby related was stupid. Zayn should’ve listened to her mum. She knew what she was talking about. Not the overly enthusiastic about being pregnant, hippie lesbian that Harry is. Zayn’s mum had been a godsend. She had stayed the first week after Aahil was born and helped her and Niall learn the ropes of being parents.

The first time she had changed one of Aahil’s nappies, she gagged. Niall caught a whiff, laughed loudly, told their son that he was a stinky little thing and changed his nappy with no troubles. It made Zayn a little jealous. She was the one who carried him inside of her for nine months but she couldn’t handle changing his nappy. 

It had taken a few more attempts for Zayn to get the hang of it. Aahil couldn’t help it, he was just a baby, and it was her responsibility as one of his mums to take care of him and clean him up. 

There had been so many things Zayn was worried about. She worried about accidentally dropping him all of the time. She worried about accidentally drowning him while giving him a bath. She worried about _everything_.

When she had voiced these fears to Niall, she expected Niall to laugh in her face and tell her she was stupid. But Niall hadn’t. She had taken Zayn’s hand and told her she had the exact same fears. It felt nice knowing that she wasn’t the only one worried about doing the wrong thing with their son. 

As it is, just over a month later, she has a better handle on things. There’s so much washing to do all of the time and it baffles Zayn how one tiny little person can go through so many clothes. She’s also astounded at how long he sleeps when he does, even if it is only during the day that he sleeps solidly. Zayn is a massive lover of sleep but even she has to wake up when her body tells her too but Aahil just keeps sleeping. He’s the cutest thing when he’s asleep, Zayn thinks. 

She wanders through the house, another load of washing folded and ready to be put away. Aahil had been put him down for a sleep just over an hour ago and was probably due to be fed within the next half an hour. Niall is… She has no idea where Niall is. She’ll be around somewhere.

Zayn pushes open the door to her and Niall’s room and sees Niall on the bed, Aahil curled into her side, fast asleep. She looks like she’s fallen asleep holding his little hand in hers. Zayn smiles at the sight. They’re adorable like this. She pulls out her phone and makes sure that it’s on silent before snapping a picture. She immediately sets the photo as her new wallpaper and tucks her phone back into her pocket.

As quietly as she can, Zayn puts the clothes away, leaving what will be too noisy to put away in the basket for later. She sets it down against the chest of drawers and glances down over at her little family. Aahil stirs against Niall and she wakes up immediately, rubbing her hand along his back. He snuffles and blinks his eyes open. Zayn watches as Niall presses a kiss to his beanie covered forehead and sits up a little, cradling him carefully in her hands.

Niall notices Zayn as she sits up, holding Aahil in her arms. “Hey,” she says softly.

“Hi,” Zayn replies, smiling. She joins them on the bed and leans over to kiss Aahil on the top of his head and Niall softly on the lips. “Have a nice sleep?” she asks.

Niall nods. “We did,” she replies with a grin. “He started stirring and you were busy, so I thought I’d lie down with him.”

“Mmm, good call,” Zayn replies. 

Aahil starts fussing in Niall’s arms and she shifts him gently. “I’ll change him so you can feed him,” she says and she gets up off the bed to change his nappy. 

Once Aahil has had his nappy changed, Niall carefully places him in Zayn’s waiting arms. She tilts her head up for a kiss and Niall brushes their noses lightly against each other’s before she closes her lips over Zayn’s in a brief but sweet kiss. Zayn lifts her shirt out of the way and unclasps the clip on her maternity bra to feed Aahil. He immediately latches on and it makes Zayn’s insides sag with relief. 

Niall re-joins her on the bed and strokes her finger down Aahil’s arm before resting her head on Zayn’s shoulder, watching him. “He’s definitely got my appetite,” she comments.

Zayn rolls her eyes. “Of course he does,” she replies. “I don’t think I’ve ever come across anyone who eats as much as the pair of you do.”

Niall grins and turns her head to kiss Zayn’s neck. “If he’s anything like the other Horans, that won’t ever go away.” She sounds oddly proud of that and it makes Zayn glance at her fondly. 

“It’s a good thing we’re rich then,” Zayn comments. “I don’t think I could handle feeding two bottomless pits for another eighteen years if we weren’t.”

Niall snorts. “Babe, we’re having more babies when Aahil gets older.”

Zayn groans. “Alright,” she says, glancing down at Aahil who is contently feeding, his eyes closed and his beanie slightly askew. “But you’re carrying the next one.”

Niall beams at her and kisses her softly on the lips. “Deal.”

**Author's Note:**

> Fic number 27 of mine for [Girl Direction Month.](http://star55.tumblr.com/post/96263456431)
> 
> Thank you to everyone who has participated so far, it means so very much a lot to me. You have no idea just how much. I love you all.
> 
> As always, you can find me here on my [tumblr](http://star55.tumblr.com) or here on my [twitter](https://twitter.com/Star_55), if you like. ♥
> 
> PS - I liked this one so much that I've already started writing a sequel. Should be up before Girl Direction Month ends. ♥


End file.
